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Thursday, August 28, 2008

An Athlete, I Am Not

After almost two full summers of playing 3-pitch, I've come to one very sound conclusion.

I am definitely not an athlete.

I love watching sports, particularly hockey and ball. But I've realized that, when it comes to ball, at least, it's much easier to be a fan and critique from the stands than it is to actually play. (I assume I'd be even worse with the fast pace of hockey - probably why I've never even attempted that sport).

I'm lacking a lot of things as an athlete. For one, I certainly do not have the physique. I'm big and clumsy and I can't run worth a shit. As I've discovered over the past few week, after many failed attempts, that I also can't catch a ball worth a shit. When it comes to hitting, it's sort of luck-of-the-draw. Sometimes I hit well, sometimes I don't, but it's not easy when the whole infield crowds in close, just waiting for you to hit it right to them. And I haven't quite mastered the technique of hitting it over their heads yet. My inability to run fast almost always does me in, even when I do connect bat to ball.

But I think the part that bothers me most is how I don't seem to have that quick reaction instinct that I believe is necessary when playing any sport. Up in the bleachers, it all looks so easy. However, when I'm actually out there, I make more fumbles and mistakes than any one ball player (3-pitch or not!) should make. It baffles me sometimes how stupid I can be out there.

That being said, I know it's all just for fun, and I should probably lighten up a bit. But it was difficult to do last night, especially in the first game we played, when we were losing and I seemed to be the cause of every bad play we made. I was playing catcher, and I couldn't catch a ball at home to save my life. Then I flipped over first base, tore the knee out of my favourite grey joggers, and ended up with scrapes on my knee and hand. Highly embarassing. Especially when I had to walk off on my own to compose myself because I was almost crying.

There's no crying in baseball!!

At the end of the night, we dropped down to third place in the 4-team league, when at the start of the evening, we'd been contending for first. So that was a little disheartening.

Hopefully we'll fare a little better in the playoffs, because we have a good enough team overall that we should be able to contend.

And then, after that, I'll be seriously considering retirement.

While on the topic of ball - congrats to the Quyon Flyers fastball team, who finished off their first-round playoff opponent Manotick last night, in Manotick. I hear it was quite the nailbiter, with the game going to 12 innings before Quyon finally took it 5-4. Maybe next round, I'll actually get out to a game!!

5 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I'm sorry Jill - but i laughed out loud when I read that you flipped and tore your knee out of your grey joggers, which I was there to see it...actually no, I would have laughed too...I'm sorry - at least you try...and it's been two years, you still go and give it your all...maybe you should just practice...you kind of just show up for 3 pitch Wednesday nights, you dont put in practice...lol - but does anyone really? Anyways I'm sure it wasn't THAT embarassing - did you make it to first without being tagged out?? LOL. Poor You! Well hopefully your injury isnt too severe - see ya at the fair tonight!

I kind of had a laugh last night when I got home and Jill was sitting on the couch with her leg up. I told her she must be a very rough player cuz she always seems to come home injured. Anyways, the Flyers game last night was very intense. Best ball game I've ever played in.

Well, thank you so much, you two. My very own brother and one of my dearest friends laughing at my ball accident. *sigh*It actually wasn't that embarassing, I was more embarassed about crying and everyone seeing I was crying. That's why I took off into the distance to calm down. lol

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